The Killer Shrews (1959)
Directed by Ray Kellogg, The Killer Shrews is a cult-classic B-horror film that blends creature-feature thrills with hurricane survival drama. Released as part of a double bill with The Giant Gila Monster, it’s remembered for its campy effects, earnest performances, and the unforgettable sight of dogs dressed as giant rodents.
Plot Summary
Captain Thorne Sherman (James Best) and his deckhand Rook Griswold arrive on a remote island to deliver supplies to a research team led by Dr. Marlowe Craigis. The scientists have been experimenting with shrinking humans to combat overpopulation—but instead, they’ve created giant, flesh-eating shrews.
As a hurricane traps everyone on the island, the mutated shrews—now out of food—begin attacking the humans. The survivors must barricade themselves and devise a plan to escape before becoming the next meal.
Cast Highlights
- James Best as Thorne Sherman
- Ingrid Goude as Ann Craigis
- Ken Curtis as Jerry Farrell
- Baruch Lumet as Dr. Marlowe Craigis
- Judge Henry Dupree as Rook Griswold
- Gordon McLendon as Dr. Radford Baines (also the film’s financier)
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- The “killer shrews” were portrayed by coon dogs in shaggy costumes, with hand puppets used for close-ups
- Actor Ken Curtis (also co-producer) joked that he had to suppress laughter during attack scenes because the “shrews” were just dogs in carpet suits
- A sequel, Return of the Killer Shrews, was released in 2012, starring James Best again—53 years after the original
- The film’s financier, Gordon McLendon, was a Texas radio mogul who also backed The Giant Gila Monster
